Exam 3 Review:  Chapter 23:  Clinical Terms I

endoscopy - The visual examination of the interior of a body canal or a hollow body organ by use of an endoscope (an instrument for examining visually the interior of a body canal or a hollow organ), e.g., the colon, bladder, or stomach, etc.

gastroscopy - The visual examination of the interior of the stomach by use of an endoscope = gastroscope.

pylorospasm - Spasmodic contractions of the smooth muscle in the pylorus of the stomach which prevents chyme from passing to the duodenum; it is a cause of vomiting in neonates, especially those with cerebral birth injuries; it must be distinguised from pyloric stenosis.

pyloric stenosis - A condition where the pylorus of the stomach has a constriction or narrowing, and will thus not allow the passage of food; the main presenting symptom is projectile vomiting.

peptic ulcer disease = PUD - A spectrum of diseases in which the lining of the stomach, pylorus, or duodenum develops a cratering necrotic lesion (ulcer) of the mucosal membrane which becomes eroded by the stomach acid and proteolytic enzyme (pepsin) attack; symptoms may be absent, but usually include indigestion, heartburn, abdominal or chest pain, bleeding, vomiting blood; risk factors include heredity, smoking, heavy drinking, use of aspirin an other anti-inflammatory NSAIDs, and infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria.

living-donor liver transplant - The transplantation of a portion of a liver from a living donor, who must be a healthy adult; the donor has to be a family member or emotionally related friend of the family; the selection criteria are very strict and potential donors have to undergo an extensive series of tests in order to decide if they are suitable.  [Donor Inclusion Criteria: age 18-55; no current or prior history of heart, lung, or other medical problems; no history of liver disease; no history of malignancy; ABO compatibility with the recipient; if female and pre-menopausal, a negative pregnancy test; a stable relationship with recipient.  For more information, visit The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).]

pancreatitis - Any acute or chronic inflammation of the pancreas; it is difficult to diagnosis; patients may be asymptomatic, but often present with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting; it is most often caused by alcoholism or biliary tract disease, but may be associated with hyperlipidemia, hyperparathyroidism, trauma, vascular or kidney disease.

jaundice - Yellowish discoloration of the whites of the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes caused by deposition of bilirubin in these tissues; it occurs as a symptom of various diseases, e.g., internal hemorrhage, hepatitis, or blockages of the biliary tree, which affect the processing or secretion of bile into the duedenum. aka - icterus

obstructive (= posthepatic or extrahepatic) jaundice - Yellowish discoloration of the whites of the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes caused by deposition of bilirubin in these tissues; this form occurs when there has been no internal hemorrhage or hepatic injury or disease, and is due to some blockage of the biliary tree, e.g., from gall bladder stones, or scarring of the bile ducts, which reduce the secretion of bile into the duodenum.

hepatitis - Inflammation of the liver, caused by infectious* or toxic agents and characterized by jaundice, fever, liver enlargement, and abdominal pain.  [*Note: viral pathogens, hepatitis A,  hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E are particularly important causes.]

cirrhosis - A chronic disease of the liver characterized by the replacement of normal parenchymal tissue with dense irregular fibrous (scar) tissue and the loss of functional liver cells and marked reduction in liver function; the cirrhotic liver is usually smaller than normal; it can result from alcohol abuse, nutritional deprivation, or infection, especially by the hepatitis viruses; symptoms include exhaustion, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, weight loss, and abdominal pain; complications include edema and ascites, bruising and bleeding, jaundice, gallstones, CNS effects, sensitivity to medications, portal hypertension, varices (enlarged veins), insulin resistance and type II diabetes, immune dysfunction and possible liver cancer.

gall stones - The crystalized solids which precipitate out of the bile stored in the gall bladder under certain circumstances; the vary in size from similar to a grain of sand to as much as an inch in diameter; they may be rough or smooth; they are either composed of a variety of calcium salts or of cholesterol or a mixture of the two; symptoms include fluctuating jaundice, intermittent or constant upper right quadrant pain, nausea and vomiting.

lactose intolerance - The inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, milk sugar, this inability results from a shortage of the brushborder enzyme lactase, which is normally produced by the epithelial lining cells of the small intestine.

appendicitis - Inflammation of the appendix, a finger-like projection extending from the caecum of the large intestine; symptoms include lower quadrant abdominal pain, fever, and loss of appetite.

hemorrhoids - An itching or painful swollen mass of dilated or varicose veins in the anal mucosal tissue; they may be internal or external or shift between the two locations; they result from a persistent increase in local venous pressure; the may become abraded and eroded and bleed.

diverticulitis - Inflammation of a diverticulum/diverticula (abnormal pouch-like outpockets in the wall of the large intestine, most commonly found in the regions of the sigmoid colon) in the intestinal tract, causing fecal stagnation and pain; they may perforate or form abscesses.

diarrhea - Any excessive and frequent evacuation of loose or watery feces, usually indicating gastrointestinal distress or disorder.

constipation - Difficult, incomplete, or infrequent evacuation of dry hardened feces from the bowels; it can be a symptom of intestinal obstruction or diverticulitis.
 
anorexia nervosa - A psycho-physiological condition, occurring especially in girls and young women, which is characterized by the inability or refusal to eat, an abnormal fear of becoming obese, and a distorted self-image (somatic delusions that you are too fat despite being emaciated); the main clinical features of the condition are a reduction in body weight, with a body mass index below 17.5, an intense desire to remain thin, self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, malnutrition, amenorrhea in females, and other physiological changes; it is a condition of Western Societies.  [The prevalence rate of this condition is estimated at 1 to 2% of schoolgirls and female students in higher education; the male prevalence rate is much lower.]

bulimia - A psycho-physiological condition characterized by binge-eating with associated feelings of loss of control, intense guilt, periods of dietary restraint; it may include starvation, self-induced vomiting and laxative abuse; these activities may relieve feelings of guilt; it is not usually associated with severe weight loss; it is a condition of Western Societies.  [The prevalence rate of this condition is estimated at 1 to 2% of the Western Caucasian female population, with an increased incidence in the higher social classes; the male prevalence rate is much lower.]  aka - bulimia nervosa

For a very interesting alternative scientific perspective on the obesity epidemic, dieting, and other related issues, visit Linda Bacon's Health at Every Size web page.

dysentery - An inflammatory disorder of the lower intestinal tract, usually caused by a bacterial, parasitic worm, or protozoan infection or certain chemical irritants, and resulting in pain, fever, a constant desire to evacuate the bowels, and severe diarrhea, often accompanied by the ulceration of the colon and rectum, passage of blood and mucus.

fecal impaction - A severe form of constipation in which a large mass of stool cannot be passed; it occurs most commonly in older or bedridden people; symptoms include swelling of the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, thin watery discharge from the rectum, abdominal distress or cramping, and fever.

Crohn's disease - A serious, chronic, progressive  inflammatory disorder of the lower intestinal tract, usually involving the terminal portion of the ileum and characterized by nausea, fever, weight loss, frequent bouts of diarrhea, abdominal pain, ulceration, and fibrous tissue buildup.

ulcerative colitis - A serious chronic inflammatory disease of the large intestine and rectum characterized by recurrent episodes of fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, fever and chills, and profuse diarrhea, weight loss and possible rectal bleeding.

intestinal polyps - Abnormal tissue growths which projects (usually on a stalk) from the mucosal lining of the colon or rectum; they are usually benign and asymptomatic, but may cause painless rectal bleeding; certain types of polyps, called adenomatous polyps, can develop into cancer; risk factors include advancing age, cigarette smoking, high fat or low fiber diet, and family history.  aka - colon polyps

colon cancer - A tumor of the colon or rectum, frequently malignant; an early symptom is bloody stools; the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.

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